Treating of fibrous materials



L. FAJT ET AL TREATING OF FIBROUS MATERIALS May 7, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 21, 1967 Iii/1111111 I INVENTORS v LUDV/K FAJ Tana! F/ZANT/SEKBUC/L BY Hm, ATTOkA/[Y May 7, 1968 FAJT ET AL 3,381,463

TREATING OF FIBROUS MATERIALS Filed Feb. 21, 196? 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENQ'ORS LUDV/K FAJTdna/ FRANT/SEK BUC/L BY f/zeirATTOENE) May 7, 1968 1.. F'AJT ET AL TREATING OF FIBROUS MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 21, 1967 {@IVENTORF LUDV/k FAJTand F/eA/VTLW Buf/L BY Hwq'rATTO/ZNEY United States Patent 3,381,463 TREATING OF FIBRQUS MATERIALS Ludvik Fajt and Frantisek Bucil, Usti nad Orlici, Czechoslovakia, assignors to Vyzkumny Ustav Bavlnarslty, Usti nad Orlici, Czechoslovakia Filed Feb. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 618,567 Claims priority, application Czechoslovakia, Feb. 24, 1966, 1,225/66 Claims. (Cl. 5758.95)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carding roller rotating in a predetermined direction, a feed for continuously supplying fibrous sliver to the carding roller so that the sliver is converted thereby into oriented fibers which travel with the roller in the predetermined direction, and a rotary spinning chamber having an inlet proximal to the carding roller and so arranged that the oriented fibers traveling therewith are automatically removed from the carding roller and enter the inlet of the spinning chamber.

Cross-references to related applications A rotary spinning chamber for the continuous ringless spinning of fibers, similar to the spinning chamber outlined herein, is disclosed in the co-pending application of Miloslav Kuboby et al. Ser. No. 598,275, filed on Dec. 1, 1966 under the title Device for Guiding Yarn.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to the treatment of fibrous material. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of treating oriented fibers obtained by carding or combing fibrous sliver. Still more specifically, the invention relates to a method of doffing the oriented fibers from the working surface of a fiber-orienting instrumentality.

The invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the aforementioned method.

It is Well known to produce yarn from oriented fibers by feeding such yarn onto an inner circumferential surface of a spinning chamber rotating at high speed. The fibers deposited onto such surface under the influence of centrifugal action form a cohesive structure which can be withdrawn from the surface in form of a yarn which is then further processed in a known manner.

Since fibers suitable for this so-called windless spinning process are supplied in form of sliver, that is in nonoriented state in which they cannot undergo the spinning process, they must first be treated by being separated and properly oriented. For this purpose, the sliver is fed to a combing or carding instrumentality, usually a rotating cylindrical roller, which is provided with projecting needles by which the sliver is engaged and which comb the fibers, that is separate and orient them.

In conventional arrangements of this type, the thus oriented fibers are transported by the carding instrumentality to a separating or doffing arrangement which removes the fibers from the surface of the carding instrumentality and conveys them to the inlet of the rotary spinning chamber. Such conventional arrangements, while generally operative for the purposes at hand, suffer from various disadvantages, among them the fact that the provision of the separate doffing means and the need for conveying the fibers from the same to the inlet of the spinning chamber increases substantially the length of the path which such fibers must traverse between the point at which they are stripped off the surface of the carding instrumentality and the inlet of the spinning chamber. This not only results in an unnecessarily large and cum- "ice bersome construction of the arrangement, but makes for a very undesirable irregularity in the feed of the fibers.

Summary of the invention The present invention overcomes the disadvantages outlined above with respect to the prior art.

More particularly, the present invention provides a method by which the dolfed fibers are transferred directly to the collecting surface adjoining the inlet of a rotary spinning chamber.

In accordance with one feature of our invention, we provide a method of treating fibrous material wherein fibrous sliver is continuously fed into a first portion of a predetermined path. This sliver is carded during movement thereof in this first portion whereby the sliver is separated into a mass of oriented fibers. Further in accordance with the invention, the thus separated fibers are continuously spun into a yarn in a second portion of the path which is contiguous with the first portion and located immediately downstream thereof.

With this method we are able to provide the shortest possible path between the point at which the fibers are dofi'ed from the Working surface of the carding instrumentality and the point at which they contact the collecting surface of the rotary spinning chamber.

A apparatus for carrying out the above method can comprise, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, a fiber-separating member traveling in a predetermined direction, and feed means for continuously supplying fibrous sliver to such member so that the fibers of this sliver are separated by the member during the travel thereof in such predetermined direction. Further, the novel apparatus comprises a rotary spinning chamber having an inlet which is proximal to the member and which is so arranged with reference to the latter that the separated fibers traveling with the member are automatically removed from the same and enter the inlet of the rotary spinning chamber.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a vertical section taken through an apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line lI-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top-plan view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, certain features having been omitted for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 illustrates yet a further embodiment of the invention in a vertically sectioned view.

Description of the preferred embodiments Discussing now the drawing in detail, and firstly FIGS. 1-3 thereof, it will be seen that in this particular illustrated embodiment the novel apparatus comprises a rotatable drive shaft 1 on which there is fixedly mounted a combing or carding roller 2 having an. external circumferential working surface 3 provided, as shown in FIG. 2, with a plurality of needles 4 orothe'r suitable projections. The roller 2 is mounted within a housing 9; specifically, it is located in a cavity bounded by an inner peripheral surface 23 which is juxtaposed with the exterior surface 3 of roller 2 in such a manner as to define therewith a substantially annular clearance 22.

Arranged in close proximity to the exterior surface 3 of roller 2 is a feed roller 5 which is mounted on a drive shaft 6 and located in a recess of housing 9 which communicates with a substantially funnel-shaped inlet 7 provided in the housing as well as with the clearance 22 in such a manner that the cylindrical surface of each roller 5 is tangential to both.

At the top of the housing 9 there is firmly secured a cover 10 and located within this cover is a spinning chamber 11 mounted for rotation about a vertical axis by means of its hollow shank 16 which terminates in a belt pulley 17 firmly secured thereto. Extending through the shank 16 is a yarn-w-ithdrawing tube 18 through which a yarn 19 may be withdrawn from the interior of chamber 11 under the action of a withdrawing means comprising a pair of driven withdrawing rollers 20 located upstream of the tube 18.

The cavity of the rotary spinning chamber 11 is internally bounded by a fiber guide surface 14 which diverges radially upwardly and merges with a fiber-collecting surface 13 on which fibers introduced into the chamber 11 are deposited under the influence of centrifugal force resulting from rotation of the chamber 11, to thus form a cohesive ribbon which is thereupon withdrawn in form of the yarn 19. The spinning chamber 11 is provided with one or more ventilating apertures 12 and the cover 10 is similarly provided with at least one ventilating aperture 21. Thus, rapid rotation of the chamber 11 about the axis defined by the shank 16 causes evacuation of fluid from the interior of chamber 11 through the apertures 12 and i 21, and this results in creation of an underpressure or suction effect within the chamber 11.

The inlet of chamber 11 faces downwardly towards the housing 9 and is bounded by a peripheral edge 15. The upper surface of housing 9, insofar as it is located beneath the cover 10, is provided with an annular recess which, as is evident from FIG. 1, at one point breaks through the wall of housing 9 to communicate with the clearance 22. A substantially circular projection 27 is formed within this recess and extends slightly above the upper surface of housing 9. The spinning chamber 11 is so positioned that the projection 27 actually projects upwardly into the interior of chamber 11 and that one segment of the peripheral edge 15 of chamber 11 extends downwardly below the projection 27 into the clearance 22 and, in fact, into close proximity with the working surface 3 of carding roller 2. Such proximal relationship is established, as clearly evident from FIG. 1, in the diverging portion of the clearance 22, so that a fiber outlet 24 is formed between the edge 15 of chamber 11 and a free edge 26 of the projection 27, as shown in FIG. 1. Thus, the stream 25 of separated and oriented fibers resulting from the sliver 8 passes through this outlet 24 onto the guide surface 14 of the spinning chamber 11.

- It is thus clear that fibers discharged through the outlet 24 and entering into the interior of spinning chamber 11 will impinge directly upon the guiding surface 14 to be conducted thereby to the yarn-collecting surface 13, thus travelling over the shortest possible distance between the point at which they leave the working surface 3 of carding roller 2 and the point at which they impinge upon the surface 14. To this end the distance of the edge 26 of the projection 27 provided on housing from the axis of rotation of the spinning chamber is only slightly smaller than the radius of the edge 15 surrounding the inlet and of spinning chamber 11.

The arrangement of the edge 15 of spinning chamber 11 proximal to the surface 3 of roller 2 is such that the fibers will be forced to lift off the surface 3 when advancing into the region of the edge 15 upstream thereof.

The operation of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 will be understood from the preceding comments as well as from a consideration of these figures. Sliver 8 coming from a (non-illustrated) source of supply is engaged by the rotating feed roller 5 and drawn through the inlet 7 of housing 9 into the clearance 22. In this clearance it is advanced between the wall surface 23 on the one hand and needles or other projections 4 on surface 3 on the other hand and, by moving along the initially narrowing clearance 22, it is firmly equipped between the two juxtaposed surfaces with the result that the needles 4 separate and orient the fibers of the sliver, which then emerge in the widening portion of clearance 22 as a stream 25 of oriented fibers. Advancing toward the edge 15 under the influence of the rotation of carding roller 2, the fibers of stream 25 move into the area of clearance 22 in which the suction effect prevailing in the spinning chamber 11 is effective. The fibers are thus lifted off the surface 3 over the edge 15 and onto the surface 14; in other words they are doifed. If any of the fibers adhere firmly enough to surface 3 to resist dofling, they will move underneath the edge 15 of spinning chamber 11 and continue on to the feed roller 5 where they will be admixed with newly entering sliver. Of course, any fibers which for some reason become lodged on the edge 15 itself, will be aspirated into the interior of chamber 11 as a result of the aforementioned suction effect.

FIG. 4 shows a somewhat different embodiment which is, however, generally similar to the one shown in FIGS. 1-3. It differs from these essentially in the fact that a fluid stream is directed through the clearance 22 in the direction opposite the rotation of roller 2, in order to assist in dofiing of the fibers. To this end the fluid which is evacuated from the interior of the spinning chamber 11 through the ventilating ejectors 12 thereof is not permitted to escape to the ambient atmosphere, as in the case of the preceding embodiment where this is accomplished by letting the fluid escape through the aperture 21 of cover 10. Rather, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the cover 10 forms an annular space 29 with the spinning chamber 1 1, such space communicating with the ventilating apertures '12 of the latter. A return channel 28 connects this space 29 with the clearance 22 immediately downstream of the edge 15 of spinning chamber 11, as indicated by reference numeral 30. Thus, fluid evacuated from the interior of spinning chamber 11 is introduced into the clearance 22 in counterfiow to the stream of fibers 25, which is oppositely the direction of rotation of the roller 2. This fluid stream passes beneath the edge 15 of spinning chamber 11 and moves between the surface 3 of roller 2 and the fibers 25 upstream of the edge 15, thus serving to assist in the dofling of the fibers, by helping to lift them onto the edge 15 and the surface 14. It will be evident, of course, that any well known means for regulating a flow of fluid through the channel 28 can be added to the embodiment of FIG. 4.

It should be mentioned, also, that the embodiment of FIG. 4 is particularly advantageous not only because of its increased doffing efficiency, but also because it provides a substantially closed circulatory system for the fluid stream produced within the spinning chamber 11, an arrangement which is advantageous if a plurality of spinning units are used in conjunction with a single machine.

FIG. 5 is [largely self-explanatory and simply shows that it is possible to utilize the novel invention in an even more efficient manner by having a single carding roller 2 serve two spinning chambers. To this end two feeds are provided, each of which supplies one of the spinning chambers, and it is thus possible not only to utilize more effectively the available surface area of the circumferential surface of roller 2, but also to continue operation of one feed and its associated spinning chamber if a ma lfunction should force shut-down of the other spinning chamber and feed. Of course, this concept is not limited to the use of only two spinning chambers with their associated feeds, but also encompasses the use of a greater number of such chambers and feeds.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of fiber treating arrangements differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an apparatus for treating fibrous materials, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. Device for treating fibrous material, comprising a fiber-separating member travelling in a predetermined direction; feed means for continuously supplying fibrous sliver to s'aid member so that the fibers of such sliver are separated by said member during travel thereof while being advanced thereby in a predetermined path; and a rotary spinning chamber having an inlet which is proximal to said member and comprises a receiving portion extending into said path so that the separated fibers travelling in said path with said member are automatically removed from the latter and enter directly into said inlet of said rotary spinning chamber.

2. Device as defined in claim 1, wherein said fiberseparating member comprises a working surface to which the separated fibers adhere, and wherein said inlet of said rotary spinning chamber is bounded by wall means having an edge portion located closely adjacent to said Working surface extending into said path, and onto which the separated fibers adhering to the latter are automatically transferred directly from said working surface.

3. Device as defined in claim 1, wherein said member is a substantially cylindrical rotary carding roller having an outer circumferential working surface; and further comprising housing means having an inner peripheral surface spacedly surrounding said working surface and defining therewith an annular passage which constitutes lsai'd path, said feed means communicating with said annular passage at a first point thereof, and said rotary spinning chamber having an inner rotary surface bounding said inlet and extending transversely of said annular passage at a second point which is angularly spaced from said first point.

4. Device as defined in claim 3, wherein the crosssection of said passage first decreases and thereupon increases in the direction from said feed means toward said inlet.

5. Device as defined in claim 4, where-in said spinning chamber rotates about an axis tangent to said Working surface and comprises rotary wall means bounding said inlet and having an edge portion located closely adjacent to said working surface and provided with said inner response to rotation of said carding roller.

6. Device as defined in claim 5, wherein said inlet of said rotary spinning chamber is substantially circular, and wherein a section of said edge portion corresponding to a portion of are is located in unobstructed proximity to said working surface of said carding roller.

7. Device as defined in claim 5, wherein said spinning chamber comprises fluid-exhaust passage means communicating with the ambient atmosphere for producing a suction effect in said spinning chamber in response to rotation of the latter about said axis, whereby to facilitate transfer of said separated fibers onto said edge portion.

8. Device as defined in claim 7; and further compnising means for directing a stream of fluid against said working surface from a point downstream of said inlet of the spinning chamber and in coun'terflow to the direction of rotation of said carding roller, for lifting said separated fibers from said working surface and thereby facilitating transfer of said fibers onto said edge portion.

9. Device as defined in claim 8, wherein said means comprises channel means communicating with said exhaust passage means, said stream of fluid thus being constituted by fluid exhausted from said spinning chamber.

10. A device for treating fibrous material, comprising 'a fiber-separating member traveling in a predetermined direction and having a fiber-engaging surface adapted to engage fibrous sliver and to separate the fibers of such fibrous sliver during travel of said fiber-separating member in said predetermined direction; guide means located 'adja'cent to said fiber-separating member and having a face juxtaposed with but spaced from said fiber-engaging I surface of said fiber-separating member, said face of said guide means defining with said fiber-engaging surface a fiber gap in which the fibers advance during travel of said fibersparating member in said predetermined direction; and a rotary spinning chamber having an inlet and a movable wall bounding said inlet and projecting into said tfiber gap, and said movable wall moving through said fiber ga'p in a direction substantially transversal to said predetermined direction so as to collect the fibers advancing in said fiber gap and to transfer the thus collec'ted fibers into said movable spinning chamber.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,038,293 6/1962 Pavek 57-58.93 3,119,223 1/1964 Meimberg 57--58.95 3,210,923 10/ 1965 Schlosser 57-5895 3,324,642 6/1967 Meimberg et al 57--58.95

FOREIGN PATENTS 969,046 9/ 1964 Great Britain.

[FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

60 w. H. scnnoanna, Assistant Examiner. 

